We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Claudia Sandino a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Claudia, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What did your parents do right and how has that impacted you in your life and career?
What did your parents do right and how has that impacted you in your life and career? Maybe you can share a story (or stories) that illustrate the things they did right and the impact they had on you and your journey.
As a new mother, I have been reflecting on my childhood a lot lately. Mostly because I am actually really proud of how my parents raised me. Everyone involved is human so by no means did I have a perfect childhood and I did not grow up to be a perfect adult, but I can tell you one thing for sure. I am 1000% the person I want to be at this very moment, and I have goals and aspirations rooted in the values they instilled in me, and that alone deserves high merit.
Now, as I raise my own child, I realize that perfection isn’t even the goal. So why are we so fixated on it? The real flex is passing on the values, lessons, and experiences that will help our children navigate life’s ups and downs. And no matter where life takes us, it’s important to know that family will always be the constant source of comfort and strength that you can count on.
Moving around a lot as a kid wasn’t always easy, but it taught me adaptability, resilience, and the importance of family. From San Francisco to Nicaragua, Miami, Gainesville, New York City, and back to Miami again, each place brought new experiences and challenges. That’s the thing about moving around a lot as a kid. I experienced a lot of change in these different places, at key ages in my life, but the love, and support of my family was always there and I found comfort in that. I also think that having the ability to adapt and be adept while doing so is the key to the daily ups and downs of entrepreneurship.
My parents’ decision to move to Nicaragua when I was 10 taught me the value of cultural connection and learning different languages. Their encouragement as I left for college and later pursued career opportunities in New York City showed me the importance of independence and growth. And now as a mother back in Miami, I have the most incredible village that I can count on in my family.
Constantly surrounded by music, instruments, dancing and all kinds of artistic endeavors; from tap dancing, pinata making, music classes at home and at school, the list truly goes on. I have a love for music and movement thanks to my parents and for that I am so grateful. It’s one of the many things my parents taught me that I want to make sure I pass on to my son.
Education was also an important value. When we got in trouble our punishment was to copy the dictionary word for word, or write lines. When we played games they were educational computer games that my dad would personally install in the computers he built for us. When we were rewarded it was also founded in education achievements and recognitions. You see whether it was a reward, a game, or a punishment the answer was always, education. Our family sport was Chess and we took the game of LIFE and Monopoly very seriously.
I remember one time in Nicaragua my dad took his shoes off to give them to a kid in the streets that did not have any, my mom would and still regularly makes us give our excess things to those less fortunate, and as a family we always showed a lending hand to anyone in need. We always had a single mom from church staying in the extra room and we always had stragglers for the holidays. My mom always says “asking is not easy for someone to do, if they are asking for it, they need it”. In my family giving is part of who we are, thanks to our parents.
I remember living in a storefront in San Francisco, the store was called “A & Y Computer Repair Shop” and we all lived in the back. My parents lit the fire of entrepreneurship and always reminded us of the importance of spending time with family. To never give it up for corporations and paychecks. My parents have shown up for us in so many ways to give us the opportunities we have today. From the daily hustle to always making sure we stick together and stand up for what we believe in.
I think it’s important to show gratitude for the lessons and adventures our parents passed onto us because now we have the ability to share those gifts with our kids. For anyone reading this, wondering what their parents did right…just think of all of the things you love about yourself and your life, and take a moment to thank your parents for that. Thank you mom and dad, I love you.
We’d love to hear the story of how you turned a side-hustle into a something much bigger.
Fifteen years ago, I took a leap of faith and turned my passion for social media into a career, despite it being uncharted territory. With unwavering determination, I honed my skills, built a loyal client base, and pioneered innovative strategies that drove real results. Through persistence and continuous learning, I’ve achieved the unimaginable, a seven-figure career that ignites my soul still decades later. My journey is a testament to the power of believing in oneself and the limitless potential of embracing the unknown. I’m living proof that with hard work, resilience, and a willingness to evolve, anyone can turn their passion into a fulfilling and prosperous career.
Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?
I love reading so I am going to share my favorite books
Here are the books that have significantly impacted my management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy as a social media executive:
“The Lean Startup” by Eric Ries
“Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion” by Robert Cialdini
“Contagious: Why Things Catch On” by Jonah Berger
“Start with Why” by Simon Sinek
“Tribes: We Need You to Lead Us” by Seth Godin
“Crushing It!” by Gary Vaynerchuk
“Epic Content Marketing” by Joe Pulizzi
“Hug Your Haters” by Jay Baer
Here are some highly recommended books for entrepreneurs:
“The Lean Startup” by Eric Ries – A guide to building and launching successful startups.
“The 4-Hour Work Week” by Timothy Ferriss – A blueprint for creating a lifestyle business and achieving financial freedom.
“The Hard Thing About Hard Things” by Ben Horowitz – Practical advice for navigating the challenges of building and running a successful startup.
“Zero to One” by Peter Thiel – A thought-provoking guide to building innovative and successful startups.
“The $100 Startup” by Chris Guillebeau – Inspiring stories of entrepreneurs who have built successful businesses with limited resources.
“Rework” by Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson – A fresh perspective on building and running a successful business.
“The Entrepreneur’s Guide to Customer Development” by Patrick Vlaskovits and Brant Cooper – A comprehensive guide to building and launching successful products.
“Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion” by Robert Cialdini – A classic book on the art of persuasion and influence.
“Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less” by Greg McKeown – A systematic approach to achieving more by doing less.
“Shoe Dog” by Phil Knight – A memoir by the founder of Nike, offering insights into the early days of building a successful startup.
and because I love supporting women:
Here are some highly recommended books for entrepreneurs written by women:
“Girl, Stop Apologizing” by Rachel Hollis – A motivational guide to help women build successful businesses and lives.
“The Moment of Lift” by Melinda Gates – A call to action for women to harness their power and create positive change.
“Dare to Lead” by Brené Brown – A guide to brave leadership and creating a culture of courage.
“The Multi-Hyphen Method” by Emma Gannon – A practical guide to building a successful portfolio career.
“We Should All Be Millionaires” by Rachel Rodgers – A guide to building wealth and success as a woman.
“The Memo” by Minda Harts – A career development guide for women of color.
“Unfinished Business” by Anne-Marie Slaughter – A thought-provoking book on building a more equitable and sustainable future.
“The Beauty of Disruption” by Julie Cottineau – A guide to building successful brands and businesses.
“Playing Big” by Tara Mohr – A guide to helping women build confidence and achieve their goals.
“I Shouldn’t Be Telling You This” by Kate White – A career development guide for women, sharing insights from the author’s own experiences.